BBQ without the sauce? You bet! New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is one of the best recipes you’ll ever cook. Don’t be fooled by the name, these shrimp have nothing to do with barbecue sauce.
Delicious, plump gulf shrimp are cooked in a rich, buttery sauce spiked with plenty of flavor enhancers. Think of it like scampi, but with a Big Time flavor boost.
All you need is warm crusty bread to mop up this dish… Delicious!
Shrimp is one of our favorite ingredients. It’s so versatile! From Latin delights like our Puerto Rican Shrimp Stew, to pastas like Shrimp fra Diavolo, to my favorite Shrimp Korma curry. We just can’t get enough.
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is a fairly recent discovery for us. We first tried it on our recent trip to NOLA.
One bite and we were hooked.
This shrimp recipe can be your quick weeknight dinner, or a crowd pleaser for special occasions or company nights.
It’s pure decadence, and worth every single calorie!
Tips for the BEST New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
- Go with wild caught shrimp if you can, they are much tastier than farm raised.
- Leave the shells on, they add flavor to the sauce, even if it makes them messy to eat.
- If you wish to devein the shrimp, use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the top of the shell. This will give you access to the vein.
- Don’t be shy with the seasonings, New Orleans food is meant to be big on flavor.
- If using store bought Cajun or Creole seasoning, look for a brand with lower sodium content. Or better yet, make your own with our homemade Creole Seasoning recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
For exact measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are the ingredients you’ll need.
- Shrimp – Nice big ones, deveined but with the shell on.
- Butter – Plenty of it.
- Aromatics – Garlic and scallions.
- Herbs and spices – Creole seasoning, bay leaves, dried oregano, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and some fresh parsley for garnish.
- Flavor enhancers – Worcestershire sauce, beer, lemon, hot sauce, heavy cream.
How to Make New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
1. Start by building the sauce. Melt some butter in a skillet, then sauté the garlic and white parts of the scallions for a couple of minutes. Add in remaining butter along with Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, oregano, lemon slices, bay leaves, pepper, hot sauce and thyme. Once butter is fully melted, mix everything well and cook 2-3 minutes. Add beer and salt. Increase the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
2. Time for the shrimp. Smother them in the butter sauce and cook for a few minutes, till they have cooked through.
3. Finish the dish. Stir in the heavy cream Garnish with parsley and the green parts of the scallions, and give everything a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Done!
What to Serve with New Orleans Shrimp
These shrimp can be served as an appetizer or main dish. A perfect pairing is our No Knead Bread, which is ideal for sopping up that tasty butter sauce.
You can keep the NOLA theme going by making a side of Dirty Rice, Creole Coleslaw or Maque Choux.
Other great side dish options are Cheese Grits, Mashed Potatoes or Green Beans Almondine.
Storage and Leftovers
You can refrigerate leftover New Orleans shrimp for a couple of days in an airtight container. Simply reheat on stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
We do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Give your seafood night a big flavor boost with this amazing New Orleans BBQ Shrimp recipe. Once you try it, you’re going to keep coming back to it again and again. Serve it as a hearty appetizer, or a decadent main. It’ll be a hit either way.
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great Cajun and Creole recipes:
Red Beans and Rice
Grillades and Grits
Jambalaya Pasta
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Remoulade
Cochon de Lait
Yakamein
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp has nothing to do with barbecue sauce. Plump shrimp are smothered in a decadent butter sauce loaded with great seasonings. Enjoy with some crusty bread for a super hit meal.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter, divided
- 6-7 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 scallions, chopped (green and white parts separated)
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lemon sliced into rounds + 1/2 lemon for juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- a few splashes of hot sauce
- 1/2 cup beer
- salt, to taste
- 2 pounds shrimp, deveined but with shell left on
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- fresh parsley, as garnish
Instructions
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add in garlic and the white parts of scallions. Cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add in remaining butter along with Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, oregano, lemon slices, bay leaves, pepper, hot sauce and thyme. Once butter is fully melted, mix everything well and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium high, add beer and salt, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in shrimp. Cook till they are cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer a couple more minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and the green parts of the scallions. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Notes
- You can remove the shrimp shells if you prefer, but leaving them on is more traditional.
- Refrigerate leftover New Orleans shrimp for a couple of days in an airtight container. Simply reheat on stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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